Thermal-transfer container sleeve system and method

Abstract

A thermal-transfer container sleeve system and method for warming, cooling, or maintaining the temperature of a fluid inside a thermally-conductive container. The thermal-transfer container sleeve is portable, is non-electric and non-fuel-burning, and is not itself a fluid container, which might not be allowed in some places or circumstances. The thermal-transfer container sleeve is easily pre-heated or pre-cooled with standard kitchen equipment. The thermal-transfer container sleeve provides high-thermal-capacitance units attached to the inside of an insulation sleeve in a way that maximizes thermal contact with the thermally-conductive container, but provides additional surface area when not mounted upon a thermally-conductive container to increase the efficiency of pre-heating or pre-cooling.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A thermal-transfer container sleeve system for affecting the temperature of a fluid inside a thermally-conductive container, comprising:
 (i) a plurality of high-thermal-capacitance units adapted to transfer thermal energy with an outside heat source or sink, store such thermal energy, and transfer such thermal energy with the fluid inside a thermally-conductive container, and having an inner face adapted for thermal contact with the thermally-conductive container; and   (ii) an insulating sleeve of thermally-insulating sheet material, having an inner face toward the thermally-conductive container and an opposite outer face, adapted for attachment of said high-thermal-capacitance units on the inner face, and adapted for holding said high-thermal-capacitance units against the surface of the thermally-conductive container;   
       where the shape of said high-thermal-capacitance units and configuration of attachment to said insulating sleeve are such that the inner face of each high-thermal-capacitance unit has a curved surface between a plurality of side walls, and when placed upon the thermally-conductive container, each side wall abuts a side wall of an adjacent high-thermal-capacitance unit, and the curved surfaces of the plurality of high-thermal capacitance units form a continuous surface conforming to the shape of, and in continuous contact with, the thermally-conductive container, and when removed from the thermally-conductive container the inner faces of said high-thermal-capacitance units are located further apart;
 where no energy source other than the stored thermal energy of said high-thermal-capacitance units is used by said thermal-transfer container sleeve when in use upon the thermally-conductive container; and 
 where, in use, said thermal-transfer container sleeve is first pre-heated or pre-cooled by an outside heat source or sink, and then is placed upon the thermally-conductive container of fluid such that the inner faces of said high-thermal-capacitance units are held in thermal contact with the thermally-conductive container by said insulating sleeve. 
 
     
     
         2 . The thermal-transfer container sleeve system of  claim 1 , further comprising sleeve closures adapted to facilitate placement and removal in use. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal-transfer container sleeve system of  claim 1 , further comprising an access opening adapted to allow access to an opening in the thermally-conductive container of fluid during use. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal-transfer container sleeve system of  claim 1 , where said insulating sleeve further comprises an insulating stretch sleeve adapted to conform to irregularly shaped thermally-conductive containers of fluid, and said high-thermal-capacitance units further comprise separate high-thermal-capacitance units adapted to move independently from each other following changes in shape of said insulating stretch sleeve. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal-transfer container sleeve system of  claim 1 , further comprising a stepped-sided container adapted to provide a thermally-conductive container having more surface area than a smooth-sided container, where said high-thermal-capacitance units are sized and arranged to closely fit said stepped-sided container in use. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal-transfer container sleeve system of  claim 1 , where said insulating sleeve is made of a flexible sheet rubber material. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal-transfer container sleeve system of  claim 1 , where said insulating sleeve is made of a silicone sheet material. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal-transfer container sleeve system of  claim 1 , where said high-thermal-capacitance units are made of metal. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal-transfer container sleeve system of  claim 1 , where said high-thermal-capacitance units are made of ceramic material. 
     
     
         10 . The thermal-transfer container sleeve system of  claim 1 , where said high-thermal-capacitance units are made of copper. 
     
     
         11 . A thermal-transfer container sleeve method for affecting the temperature of a fluid inside a thermally-conductive container, comprising:
 (i) providing a thermal-transfer container sleeve, further comprising:
 (a) a plurality of high-thermal-capacitance units adapted to transfer thermal energy with an outside heat source or sink, store such thermal energy, and transfer such thermal energy with the fluid inside a thermally-conductive container, and having an inner face adapted for thermal contact with the thermally-conductive container; and 
 (b) an insulating sleeve of thermally-insulating sheet material, having an inner face toward the thermally-conductive container and an opposite outer face, adapted for attachment of said high-thermal-capacitance units on the inner face, and adapted for holding said high-thermal-capacitance units against the surface of the thermally-conductive container; 
   where the shape of said high-thermal-capacitance units and configuration of attachment to said insulating sleeve are such that the inner face of each high-thermal-capacitance unit has a curved surface between a plurality of side walls, and when placed upon the thermally-conductive container, each side wall abuts a side wall of an adjacent high-thermal-capacitance unit, and the curved surfaces of the plurality of high-thermal capacitance units form a continuous surface conforming to the shape of, and in continuous contact with, the thermally-conductive container, and when removed from the thermally-conductive container the inner faces of said high-thermal-capacitance units are located further apart; and   where no energy source other than the stored thermal energy of said high-thermal-capacitance units is used by said thermal-transfer container sleeve when in use upon the thermally-conductive container; and   (ii) using said thermal-transfer container sleeve by first pre-heating or pre-cooling by an outside heat source or sink, and then placing upon the thermally-conductive container of fluid such that the inner faces of said high-thermal-capacitance units are held in thermal contact with the thermally-conductive container by said insulating sleeve.   
     
     
         12 . The thermal-transfer container sleeve method of  claim 11 , where said thermal-transfer container sleeve further comprises sleeve closures adapted to facilitate placement and removal in use. 
     
     
         13 . The thermal-transfer container sleeve method of  claim 11 , where said thermal-transfer container sleeve further comprises an access opening adapted to allow access to an opening in the thermally-conductive container of fluid during use. 
     
     
         14 . The thermal-transfer container sleeve method of  claim 11 , where said insulating sleeve further comprises an insulating stretch sleeve adapted to conform to irregularly shaped thermally-conductive containers of fluid, and said high-thermal-capacitance units further comprise separate high-thermal-capacitance units adapted to move independently from each other following changes in shape of said insulating stretch sleeve. 
     
     
         15 . The thermal-transfer container sleeve method of  claim 11 , where said thermal-transfer container sleeve further comprises a stepped-sided container adapted to provide a thermally-conductive container having more surface area than a smooth-sided container, where said high-thermal-capacitance units are sized and arranged to closely fit said stepped-sided container in use. 
     
     
         16 . The thermal-transfer container sleeve method of  claim 11 , where said insulating sleeve is made of a flexible sheet rubber material. 
     
     
         17 . The thermal-transfer container sleeve method of  claim 11 , where said insulating sleeve is made of a silicone sheet material. 
     
     
         18 . The thermal-transfer container sleeve method of  claim 11 , where said high-thermal-capacitance units are made of metal. 
     
     
         19 . The thermal-transfer container sleeve method of  claim 11 , where said high-thermal-capacitance units are made of ceramic material. 
     
     
         20 . The thermal-transfer container sleeve method of  claim 11 , where said high-thermal-capacitance units are made of copper. 
     
     
         21 . A thermal-transfer system comprising a plurality of freezable thermal units that resist melting at room temperature. 
     
     
         22 . The thermal-transfer system of  claim 21 , wherein each thermal unit is formed from a material having high-melting point. 
     
     
         23 . The thermal-transfer system of  claim 21 , wherein each thermal unit is formed as a solid body. 
     
     
         24 . The thermal-transfer system of  claim 21 , wherein two or more of the thermal units can be secured together by a flexible connector.